Documentation
We are currently working on updating the documentation section of the Wiki. What is UniStorm? UniStorm is an incredibly powerful dynamic day and night weather system that creates AAA quality dynamically generated weather, lighting, and skies all at a blazing fast frame rate. UniStorm features over 250 customizable components allowing users to create any environment imaginable. Getting Started Setting up a dynamic day and night weather system has never been easier with UniStorm. If this is your first time using UniStorm, it is best to familiarize yourself with how everything works. Start off by testing out the many different example scenes we have supplied with UniStorm. Pick whichever one suits your needs/game style. These can be found under UniStorm>Demo>Demo Scenes List of Included UniStorm Examples: * Basic Example '- A basic standard demo of UniStorm. * '''Dynamic Snow Example '- A demo that provides dynamically building snow on non-terrain objects. * '''Plant Growth Example - A demo that provides dynamically growing plants based on a number of different factors. * Save and Load Example '- A demo that provides a working saving and loading system that allows you to save UniStorm's time, weather, date, and player's position and then load it at the point in which you saved. * '''Spawn Example '- A demo that provides an example that allows a character to be spawned at runtime. All effects and components are then applied to UniStorm at runtime. * 'Survival with Vitals Example '- A demo that provides a survival example where a player is affected by UniStorm factors/variables such as temperature (Warmth), weather (Dryness), and time (hunger). After you have tested the demo scenes and would like to customize your skies, you will need to familiarize yourself with the UniStorm Editor. This can be done one of two ways. First, you can create your own system. To setup see the Create your Own UniStorm Weather System below. Second, you can use the systems that are already in the UniStorm Demo Scenes. If you are picking this as your starting point, you can go ahead and skip to the UniStorm Editor section. Creating your Own UniStorm Weather System If you'd like to create your own weather system, it's best to follow the below tutorial video we've made. The steps are simple and it only takes a couple seconds to have your scene ready for dynamic weather with day and night cycles. The UniStorm Editor The UniStorm Editor is a power tool that allows you to adjust and control every component and color of the sky. While it may seem like a lot to take in at first, it won't take long to familiarize yourself with the Editor. For this section we will break the Editor down to the categories is which they're in. Note: The Climate Generation will be handled in a different part of the documentation. For more information on the Climate Generator, see the Climate Generator section of the documentation. Time Options The Time Options allow you to adjust anything time related. This goes for Starting Time, Date, Day Length, Calendar Type, and more. Below we will discuss each UniStorm variable in the section in-depth with their functions and uses. Date * 'Starting Hour '- The Hour that UniStorm will start. This is in 24 hour notation and has a choice of the numbers between 0-23. * 'Starting Minute '- The minute that UniStorm will start. This consists of the numbers between 1-59. * 'Day '- The starting Day UniStorm will start on. Used by the calendar system UniStorm uses. If it's set to standard, it will take real-world calendar days into its calculations. So, any value above 31, with the appropriate month, will be calculated as the 1st of the following month. * '''Month - The starting Month UniStorm will start on. Listed as actual months rather than numbers. This consists of the month from January-December. * Year - The starting Year UniStorm will start on. The year value is unrestricted and can be any number desired. Note: While using the standard calendar system, UniStorm will still calculate Leap Year. * Time Stopped - Stops UniStorm's time and sun from moving, but will allow the clouds to keep animating and weather to be generated. Lengths *'Day Length' - Calculated by how many real-time minutes pass until UniStorm switches to night, based on the hour you've set for Day Length Hour A value of 60 would give you 1 hour long days. This can be changed to any value that's desired. *'Day Length Hour' - Determins what time UniStorm will start using the Day Length time. This allows you to make your days longer or short than nights, if desired. *'Night Length' - Calculated by how many real-time minutes pass until UniStorm switches to day, based on the hour you've set for Night Length Hour A value of 60 would give you 1 hour long days. This can be changed to any value that's desired. *'Night Length Hour' - Determins what time UniStorm will start using the Night Length time. This allows you to make your nights longer or short than days, if desired. *'Calendar Type' - Controls whether UniStorm uses a Standard Calendar system (only affecting months and days) or a Custom Calendar System (Allowing the user to pick and choose how many days are in each month). While using the Standard Caledar setting, UniStorm will automatically calculation of Leap Year. Weather Options The Weather Options allow you to control UniStorm's weather related variables. This goes for the type of weather that is generated on start, Cloud Thickness (Low or High), Cloud Type (Dynamic or Non-Dynamic), Sky Speeds (Cloud, Stars, Storm Clouds movement speeds), Weather Odds, and more. Below we will discuss each UniStorm variable in the section in-depth with their functions and uses. Clouds * Cloud Thickness - Has 2 options (High or Low) Low Cloud Thickness will render less dense clouds. This option is for people who like the look of lighter and more faint looking clouds. High Cloud Thickness will render clouds more dense. This option is for people who like the look of thick noticeable clouds. * Cloud Type '- Has 2 options (Dynamic or Non-Dynamic) Dynamic Clouds will form dynamically. This allows no two clouds in the sky to look the same. Dynamic clouds also look more realistic and have much more diversity. This options also affects UniStorm's Storm Clouds. Non Dynamic clouds will revert back to version 1.6 clouds. Some features may also be disabled both in the UniStorm Editor and visually (Such as clouds being masked along the horizon). These clouds have more of a 'Skyrim' look compared to Dynamic Clouds. These clouds still animate, but are not dynamic. This option is available for those who prefer this look over the Dynamic Clouds. * '''Cloud Speed '- Controls the speed of regular clouds movement. * 'Storm Cloud Speed '- Controls the speed of storm clouds movement. Stars * '''Star Scroll Speed - Controls the speed that of star movement. * Star Rotation Speed - Controls the speed of the star's rotation speed. Weather * Weather Type - The weather that UniStorm will start with. * Weather Odds - Controls the weather odds for each season. A value of 20% gives a 20% chance that the weather will change where 80% would give you an 80% chance that the weather will change. UniStorm's advanced algorithm handles the rest and generates you dynamic weather according to your weather odds for each season. * Static Weather - Stops the weather from ever changing making it static. However, you can still change it manually through scripting, the Weather Command Prompt, or the UniStorm Editor. * Instant Starting Weather - Weather will be instantly faded in on start bypassing the transitioning of weather. This function can also be called to bypass weather transitions for instance, loading a player's game or an event. Wind Options The Wind Options allow you to adjust UniStorm's dynamic wind settings. Note: These settings only apply to the terrain wind and only affects Unity's grass painted with the terrain tools. Normal Wind Settings The normal wind settings affect how the wind reacts during Non-Stormy precipitation types. * Normal Grass Wind Speed - Adjusts the speed in which the grass waves. * Normal Grass Wind Size - Adjusts the size of the wind that waves the grass. * Normal Grass Wind Bending - Adjusts the strength in which the grass waves. Storm Wind Settings The normal wind settings affect how the wind reacts during Stormy precipitation types. * Stormy Grass Wind Speed - Adjusts the speed in which the grass waves. * Stormy Grass Wind Size - Adjusts the size of the wind that waves the grass. * Stormy Grass Wind Bending - Adjusts the strength in which the grass waves. Atmosphere Options Atmosphere Options allow you to adjust UniStorm's Physically Based Skybox shader. This shader allows you to adjust factors of the atmosphere that affect the color of the sky which changes according to the angle of the Sun. Skybox Settings and Colors The Sky Tint Color adjusts the tint of your sky according to the time of day and sun angle. Note: Some colors are calculated by the Physically Based Skybox shader itself. The tint you choose will also play a roll in this. * Sky Tint Color Morning - Allows you to adjust the tint of the sky when it's Morning. Note: The whiter the color, the more orange sunrises you will have. * Sky Tint Color Day - Allows you to adjust the color of the sky when it's Day. * Sky Tint Color Evening - Allows you to adjust the color of the sky when it's Evening. Note: The whiter the color, the more orange sunsets you will have. * Sky Tint Color Night - allows you to adjust the color of the sky when it's Night. Note: This color option also affects the overall tint of the Procedural Skybox. Darker colors tend to work best. * Ground Color - The color of the Skybox ground. * Atmosphere Thickness - Controls how high your horizon shading is calculated. For best results this should be adjusted very lightly (at 0.1 increments) * Exposure - Control how thick the atosphere is and how much light is scattered. This affects the overall brightness of your sky. For best results this should be adjusted very lightly (at 0.1 increments) * Star Brightness - Controls the brightness and tint color of your stars.